Articles By Insight for Living

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Slice it any way you wish; ignorance is not bliss. Dress it in whatever garb you please; ignorance is not attractive. Neither is it the mark of humility nor the path to spirituality. It certainly is not the companion of wisdom.

For as long as I have been in the ministry I have asked the Lord for a balance between a tender heart and a tough hide. It isn't an easy balance. In fact, the latter is more difficult to cultivate than the former. In order to be fully engaged in ministry, job number one is to have a tender heart. The challenge is developing a tough hide.

A friend of mine ate dog food one evening. No, he wasn’t at a fraternity initiation nor a hobo party . . . he was actually at an elegant student reception in a physician’s home near Miami. The dog food was served on delicate little crackers with a wedge of imported cheese, bacon chips, an olive, and a sliver of pimento on top. That’s right, friends and neighbors; it was hors d’oeuvres a la Alpo.

The late football strategist Vince Lombardi was a fanatic about fundamentals. Those who played under his leadership often spoke of his intensity, his drive, his endless enthusiasm for the guts of the game. Time and again he would come back to the basic techniques of blocking and tackling.

About Jesus Christ

Chuck Swindoll recalls the scene in Scripture where Jesus asked His disciples, "Who do you say that I am?" After reporting to Him what other people around them were saying, it was their turn to state just who they believed Him to be. Peter passed the test with flying colors by recognizing Jesus as the Son of God. Who do you say that He is? Your answer will change your life and define your future.

Scholars and historians have debated for centuries whether Jesus of Nazareth was simply another human being or if He was truly divine. This article provides evidence from several different angles to support the truth that Jesus was fully God and fully man. As a man, He was able to take on the punishment for our human sin. And as God, He was able to triumph over sin and death, rising from the dead and offering salvation to all.

This article was written to answer this specific question, and it explains clearly the theology behind Jesus’s substitutionary death to pay the penalty required for our sins. It explains how God’s holiness and righteous standard require justice and cannot merely overlook our sin. And it helps us understand exactly what Jesus went through when He died to secure our salvation.

Chuck Swindoll explains that the satanic forces of death and evil were working up to the climax of Jesus’s crucifixion on the cross, where it seemed they had won the final victory. But the resurrection of Jesus proved God’s power over the very heart of evil. The varied responses to the news of Jesus’s resurrection mirror the kinds of responses Chuck says he sees today when he presents the gospel message. How have you responded to the call for a new life in Jesus?

When we think of the ministry of Jesus, we immediately recall the “big” moments. His baptism. The Sermon on the Mount. His transfiguration. The miracles He performed. And, of course, His death and resurrection.

Apologetics

Scholars and historians have debated for centuries whether Jesus of Nazareth was simply another human being or if He was truly divine. This article provides evidence from several different angles to support the truth that Jesus was fully God and fully man. As a man, He was able to take on the punishment for our human sin. And as God, He was able to triumph over sin and death, rising from the dead and offering salvation to all.

The Gnostics (pronounced näs-tik) were some of the earliest heretics to infiltrate the church with their poisonous doctrines, arising shortly after the gospel began penetrating the Roman world near the Mediterranean Sea in the first century.

Bible Prophecy

Respected commentator Dr. Ronald Allen describes the interplay of Old Testament prophecy and New Testament teaching as they relate to the end times. What will Christ’s second coming look like? How will the promised judgments be carried out? This article will help you to reach a greater understanding of these complex biblical truths and what they mean to our world today.

Christian Dating & Relationships

There is a pattern found in Scripture of how God chooses to minister to His servants when they get beaten down by opposition. His method can be described in a word: friendship. Chuck Swindoll gives several accounts of how God provided human relationships to keep people from giving up at their lowest points. We all need to find that kind of support in our lives and be willing to provide it to close friends when they need a place of rest and acceptance.

Christian Living For Men

I must tell you that I have been troubled regarding the face of things in our country and within the family of God. My major battle has had to do with one word, one concept. My battle has to do with integrity.

I am on a long flight home. I’m tired. The days away were well-spent but exhausting. I am glad I made the trip, but I’m even happier to be coming home. There’s nothing like a few days away to remind me how much I love being home.

Deep within, we imagine ourselves as a mixture of Patrick Henry, Davy Crockett, John Wayne, and the prophet Daniel! But the truth of the matter is that most of us would do anything to keep from being different. We’d much rather blend into the woodwork. One of our greatest fears is being ostracized, rejected by “the group.”

A passage in Joshua prompted me to think of three words. First, create. God wants us to go to the trouble of establishing historic markers. Notice I said, “Go to the trouble.” Creating legacy reminders is not easy. These were big stones. They needed to be chosen, hauled, stacked, and then maintained as a lasting reminder of God’s faithfulness.

Christian Living For Women

When we think of the ministry of Jesus, we immediately recall the “big” moments. His baptism. The Sermon on the Mount. His transfiguration. The miracles He performed. And, of course, His death and resurrection.

I am on a long flight home. I’m tired. The days away were well-spent but exhausting. I am glad I made the trip, but I’m even happier to be coming home. There’s nothing like a few days away to remind me how much I love being home.

Deep within, we imagine ourselves as a mixture of Patrick Henry, Davy Crockett, John Wayne, and the prophet Daniel! But the truth of the matter is that most of us would do anything to keep from being different. We’d much rather blend into the woodwork. One of our greatest fears is being ostracized, rejected by “the group.”

In a humorous spin of the well-known "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" poem, Wayne Stiles reminds us of the true meaning of Christmas by lamenting what it has become for so many, in spite of our best intentions. Chuckle as you read his poem, and recognize the guilt most of us feel for getting carried away with the wrong priorities.

Chuck Swindoll draws us to the wonder of the birth of Christ, the very Son of God, who chose to enter our world as a normal, human baby of humble means. What was God’s plan behind this bewildering and understated event? Why was it necessary? Read this article to find answers to these life-altering questions.

Chuck Swindoll points out that the idea of worship has become too vaguely understood in the church today. Many liken worship to a particular style of music or teaching. Many think it has to do with a certain feeling. After recognizing these and other misconceptions, Chuck explains what worship really means and encourages us to focus on it more regularly.

Jesus opened a five-gallon can of worms the day He preached His Sermon on the Mount. There wasn’t a Pharisee within gunshot range who wouldn’t have given his last denarius to see Him strung up by sundown. Did they hate Him!

Discipleship & Evangelism

I remember a fun 'n' games night around the supper table in our house. It was wild. First of all, one of the kids snickered during the prayer (which isn't that unusual) and that tipped the first domino.

Chuck Swindoll sees the Old Testament character Elijah as an unlikely choice for the one to stand up to a king and speak out for biblical truth. But God chose him for his commitment and his heart for God in the face of evil. In the same way, God has an important calling today for anyone who is willing to stand alone for Him.

Jesus opened a five-gallon can of worms the day He preached His Sermon on the Mount. There wasn’t a Pharisee within gunshot range who wouldn’t have given his last denarius to see Him strung up by sundown. Did they hate Him!

Easter Week

This article was written to answer this specific question, and it explains clearly the theology behind Jesus’s substitutionary death to pay the penalty required for our sins. It explains how God’s holiness and righteous standard require justice and cannot merely overlook our sin. And it helps us understand exactly what Jesus went through when He died to secure our salvation.

Chuck Swindoll explains that the satanic forces of death and evil were working up to the climax of Jesus’s crucifixion on the cross, where it seemed they had won the final victory. But the resurrection of Jesus proved God’s power over the very heart of evil. The varied responses to the news of Jesus’s resurrection mirror the kinds of responses Chuck says he sees today when he presents the gospel message. How have you responded to the call for a new life in Jesus?

It comes as a surprise to no one that I love music. Choral music, instrumental music, popular music, as well as classical stuff . . . folk tunes, ballads, fun songs, and serious works . . . country western and bluegrass, as well as the patriotic and romantic. For me, music is a must.

End Times

Respected commentator Dr. Ronald Allen describes the interplay of Old Testament prophecy and New Testament teaching as they relate to the end times. What will Christ’s second coming look like? How will the promised judgments be carried out? This article will help you to reach a greater understanding of these complex biblical truths and what they mean to our world today.

Family & Parenting

Chuck reminds us that the window of opportunity in which a parent can truly influence a child and shape his or her character does not stay open forever. That's why parents have to be willing to make the sacrifices necessary to prioritize meaningful time with their children during the years their children most need them. Nothing else in our schedules could possibly be as important!

I keep meeting these wonderful people whose lives belie their age. Their enthusiasm is contagious, their zest for life captivating. They're still thinking and dreaming, determined not to miss out on the fun, and they're definitely not interested in planting themselves in a rocking chair and watching sunsets.

Fear & Peace

Chuck Swindoll recalls all of the sudden losses Job experienced, within just a few days, through no fault of his own. Chuck challenges us to think of how we would respond after such unjust circumstances, when we then couldn't hear the voice of God through our turmoil.

Sometimes life hits us so hard that we begin to doubt all we've learned about God and the Bible. Our circumstances loom large and crowd out our view of anything else. At those times, this is a very practical and helpful article to read. Chuck Swindoll encourages us to remain hopeful by relying on our all-powerful, loving, and never-changing God.

Is it possible to have peace and calmness when the events all around you are telling you that you can't? Chuck Swindoll states that the way to this peace — shalom — is through a simple but complete trust in God's promises of support. That's why the world cannot understand this kind of inexplicable peace. It can't be manufactured apart from a willingness to release our cares into God's loving care.

Why did God propel the young girl named Esther to the position where she alone could influence the fate of the Jewish people? Chuck Swindoll suggests that it's because God knew Esther had a teachable heart and a humble and obedient spirit. He knew she would not be swayed by the trappings and all the temptations of kingdom life but would remain grounded in the teachings and faith that Mordecai had modeled to her. How would you do today if God tested you? Would you have a teachable spirit as Esther did?

Drawing from the apostle Paul's example of how he accepted his own weaknesses and hardships, Chuck Swindoll reminds us of what we often don't want to hear: our life on earth is for the purpose of making us more like Christ. Unfortunately, nothing does that better than the trials and pains we suffer. But if we, like Paul, can keep our eyes on the ultimate goal of letting God work through us, we'll learn to accept joyfully whatever God brings us and not seek the easy, pain-free life instead.

Reflecting upon his father’s lingering grief after his mother’s death, Chuck Swindoll gives valuable suggestions on how to help someone walk through the stages of grief and see beyond it to a hopeful future. If you have lost someone dear or know of someone who has recently suffered loss, this article gives perspective to help you grieve in a healthy manner by seeing both the past and the future appropriately.

Chuck Swindoll writes this article for those who have been carrying a burden for some time and see no relief ahead. He invites them to learn from Job, who, after suffering more loss than most of us will ever suffer, decided not to waver from his belief in God’s control over his life. Job refused to forget God’s unchanging love for His children. He accepted from God’s hand whatever tool God chose to use to shape Job and teach him about Himself, just as we can today.

Leadership

Just as in David's day, we tend to evaluate people based too much on the external characteristics we can see: appearance, stature, poise, demeanor. Chuck Swindoll reminds us that it's the size and quality of our faith that makes us great in God's eyes. When we remember this, we don't have to try to fit into others' molds or define ourselves by their expectations.

In this article, Chuck Swindoll describes the life and ministry of the apostle Paul as one that was steeped in and driven by the truths of God's Holy Word. Holding fast to his beliefs was what gave Paul strength through times of great opposition and persecution. Chuck encourages us to similarly prepare ourselves for future ministry by making time spent in God's Word a top priority.

This article addresses the sad, unfortunate situation when a Christian leader is willingly violating God's standards without a repentant heart. It outlines how, when, and why to discipline the offender and thus helps you to go beyond the conflicting emotions involved. The apostle Paul gave some specific directions on this topic so that the sacredness of God's ministry and His calling could be protected.

Citing Moses's, Peter's, and David's ragtag followers as examples, Chuck Swindoll reminds us that the people God uses in significant ways don't always fit the world's mold of a natural-born leader. When a leader's heart belongs to God and he or she is allowing the Holy Spirit to work through him or her, personal eccentricities and weaknesses cease to matter; this leader will be able to accomplish the ministry God has set before him or her. That should be good news to all of us!

Chuck Swindoll reminds us that in the school of spiritual leadership, God is the teacher. And only God knows the moment when someone is ready to lead. If you know someone who is aspiring to lead others and can’t wait to start, give him or her this article to read. This person may need to slow his or her upward climb and wait for God’s appointment.

One of the first weddings I performed as a young pastor had all the promise you could hope for in a marriage. Both in their mid-twenties, both believers, he was a medical student, she was a nurse. It should have been a model marriage filled with peace and joy. Struggles would come, of course, but an enduring hope would get them through the dark days.

Marriage & Divorce

This is a reflective article Chuck wrote after celebrating his fiftieth anniversary with his wife, Cynthia. He reminisces on the many shared experiences over the years, the joys and the hardships they both endured, and the transitions they faced as they both learned and developed as people and as Christians.

Through confessing an area of weakness in his own life and marriage, Chuck explains the necessity of allowing grace into your marriage relationship by trusting your spouse and setting him or her free. Jealous, controlling thoughts and behavior that merely reflect one's own fears and insecurities will smother and stifle your spouse and, therefore, your marriage.

Using verses from the book of Proverbs, Chuck Swindoll explains three tools that our Master Builder, God, has given us to help build solid, lasting marriages. Instead of dwelling on the ways our mate could change or improve, we need to work toward increasing our own understanding of our mate and his or her needs and perceptions.

I am on a long flight home. I’m tired. The days away were well-spent but exhausting. I am glad I made the trip, but I’m even happier to be coming home. There’s nothing like a few days away to remind me how much I love being home.

New Years

Personal Finances & Stewardship

In this article, Chuck Swindoll makes a strong correlation between godly contentment and joyful generosity. He describes four benefits that will result for a person who can remember that God is the author of divine resources and gives generous gifts to His children.

Using a rather extreme example, Chuck Swindoll illustrates the pointlessness of being stingy with our wealth and possessions in this life. He asserts that whoever is reluctant to part with some of his or her assets is also one who doesn't dare to dream big dreams or attempt great things for God. This article challenges us to evaluate our generosity and our vision of what God can accomplish through our faith.

Chuck Swindoll reflects on the strong faith of his older brother, Orville, and on Orville's ability to trust in Jesus to meet the needs of his family. We live in a materialistic society, where our security seems to come from what we own and have stashed away. Chuck suggests that whether we have abundance or are seeing lean times, our security must come only from God and His promise to provide for all of our needs. Only then can we be truly generous.

A passage in Joshua prompted me to think of three words. First, create. God wants us to go to the trouble of establishing historic markers. Notice I said, “Go to the trouble.” Creating legacy reminders is not easy. These were big stones. They needed to be chosen, hauled, stacked, and then maintained as a lasting reminder of God’s faithfulness.

I had lunch recently with a businessman who runs his own company. As we talked, the subject of wisdom kept popping up in our conversation. We were agreeing on the value of certain qualities that cannot be learned in school — things like intuition, diligence, integrity, perception, consistency, loyalty — when he, again, mentioned wisdom.

Most of us have struggled at times with our prayer life and with understanding how and when God answers prayer. This article gives a unique and valuable perspective to keep in mind when we aren't seeing the results we'd like from our times of prayer. The three suggestions made here may help you pinpoint any errors you may have in your own thinking when it comes to prayer.

Some may think that joy is an emotion that you either feel or you don't. Chuck Swindoll suggests that joy is more of an intentional attitude that we have a lot of control over. He lists seven practical principles that, when practiced regularly, will be sure to help us put negativity and worry behind us and develop the joyful, steady character God desires of us.

Chuck Swindoll recognizes the ability to laugh and to find the humor in things as a gift from God to every believer. Even though life brings tragic occurrences our way now and then, God desires that we find joy as we rest in His sovereignty over all things. According to Chuck, a Christian who doesn’t laugh much is not taking God’s divine prescription for spiritual health.

The third person of the Trinity is the most elusive and least understood. Charles Swindoll clarifies the role and activity of the Holy Spirit in the life and growth of a Christian. Just because we can’t see Him at work doesn’t mean we can ignore His power and crucial activity on this earth. After all, He dwells inside each one of us believers — with His limitless capabilities!

This article was written to answer this specific question, and it explains clearly the theology behind Jesus’s substitutionary death to pay the penalty required for our sins. It explains how God’s holiness and righteous standard require justice and cannot merely overlook our sin. And it helps us understand exactly what Jesus went through when He died to secure our salvation.

Chuck Swindoll explains that the satanic forces of death and evil were working up to the climax of Jesus’s crucifixion on the cross, where it seemed they had won the final victory. But the resurrection of Jesus proved God’s power over the very heart of evil. The varied responses to the news of Jesus’s resurrection mirror the kinds of responses Chuck says he sees today when he presents the gospel message. How have you responded to the call for a new life in Jesus?

Sin

Chuck Swindoll clarifies in this article what true forgiveness must involve to be complete and in obedience to God's Word. We can't be expected to erase our memories of offenses against us, but we can and must make the willful choice not to hold a grievance over another's head and hold him or her captive to the debt owed us.

In this age of entitlement, personal responsibility isn't often discussed. Neither is the concept of sin. But just how many of our wrong choices can we blame on outside forces and influences? In this hard-hitting, convicting article, we are reminded to humbly acknowledge our own sins so we can learn to resist them, while also experiencing the cleansing from them that we have received through the person and work of Jesus Christ.

Study The Bible

Chuck Swindoll centers on some much-quoted verses in Scripture that are, nevertheless, often too infrequently applied. He says that the need for Christians to fellowship together in an atmosphere of acceptance and empowerment has never been greater. The times we live in are growing more and more hostile to those who wish to stand firm for holiness. So we need to be careful not to add to that environment but to counter it with love and grace.

Throughout his more than forty years as a pastor, Chuck Swindoll has seen many believers who have started out strong in their faith but who have been beaten down over time through difficult circumstances and life events that didn't turn out as expected. Using Scripture, he reminds us of how the promises in the Bible are not just for the future but of great benefit to us right here in the present.

This article offers a survey and basic outline of the book of Romans, which has been referred to as the Christian's manifesto. In writing his letter to Roman Christians, the apostle Paul spelled out basic Christian doctrine in clear, understandable terms and then anticipated and answered questions that he expected his Jewish readers to have. This overview will whet your appetite for delving into this deep but satisfying treatise of the gospel of faith.

This is an article every new student of the Bible should read. It answers basic, practical questions about the different Bible translations available and how and why they differ. It also describes various approaches to Bible reading and how reading differs from studying. It helps you learn how to find help for specific issues and problems, and it gives helpful questions to ask in order to personalize and apply the passages you read.